Save the date. One of the best weekends in the UK Cultural Calendar - Museums at Night 2010 - is up and running and already looking in rude health.
The annual weekend celebration of after hours culture in UK museums and galleries takes place over the weekend of May 14 - 16 2010, and over 80 museums have already logged their events in Culture24 listings. Many more events are being planned for the popular annual shindig.
Museums, archives, galleries and heritage sites will be hosting everything from candle-lit readings and paranormal investigations to sleepovers, night-time tours, musical events and much, much more.
Among the exciting events already confirmed is a night shift at Cornwall's windswept Geevor Tin Mine and the chance to see a 'Light in the Night' at Cromer’s Lifeboat Museum.
A great favourite of Museums at Night 2009 will also be returning as the Old Operating Theatre invites visitors to taste the unforgettable atmosphere in the oldest surviving operating theatre in Europe. Hidden in the roof of St Thomas Church, this is where nineteenth century amputations were carried out by gaslight in 27 seconds flat.
Geevor Tin Mine will be opening its doors again for Museums at Night 2010.
Another popular event last year was the Cabinet War Rooms sleepover, which will be offering offer lucky visitors the chance to spend the night in Churchill's atmospheric World War Two shelter beneath the streets of Whitehall. Visitors might even be able to see if the dummy of Winston does it’s fabled 'mysterious move' during the night!
There's a similar wartime theme in Weston-super-Mare where the Helicopter Museum is going 'Back to the Blitz' complete with air raid sirens and giant searchlights that will illuminate the exhibition hangar. Fifty flight simulators will link up to recreate a gigantic air battle over the bombed ruins of London.
Other events include plenty of options for families and kids. Equally if you want to get away from the nippers and enjoy an evening of 'adult entertainment' you’ll find everything from astronomical extravaganzas and music nights to good old ghost tours. You name it, Museums at Night 2010 has got it covered.
But it's not just about individual venues. Whole cities and towns are getting in on the Museums at Night act - with Newcastle's Late Shows programme leading the way. Already confirmed and gearing up for multi-venue openings are Stockport, Liverpool, Norwich and Bath – all of them readying themselves for a big night time museum and heritage celebration.
More museums, galleries and heritage sites are signing up every day so make sure you come back to the fully searchable Culture24 website where you can discover these unmissable events aimed at all audiences and interests.
A night in the National Portrait Gallery. ©
Museums at Night 2010 coincides with the Europe-wide celebration, Nuit des Musées. It is funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and organised by Culture24.
Visit www.culture24.org.uk/museumsatnight where listings information will be continually updated right up until the weekend itself.
